Apparatus for bending sinuous wire strips into springs



March 24, 1953 J. c. LINCOLN 2,632,482

APPARATUS FOR BENDING SINUOUS WIRE STRIPS INTO SPRINGS Filed Sept. 1, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 O IN V EN TOR.

Jam 0 1. mam/v March 24, 1953 J. C. LINCOLN 2,632,482

APPARATUS FOR BENDING SINUOUS WIRE STRIPS INTO SPRINGS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 1. 1948 Hm "ll m\ III.. ""llmu INVENTOR.

JOHN L" LINCOLN March 24, 1953 J. c. LINCOLN 2,632,482

APPARATUS FOR BENDING SINUOUS WIRE STRIPS INTO SPRINGS Filed Sept. 1, 1948 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JOHN L LIA/[700V BY March 24, 1953 J. c. LINCOLN 2,632,482

APPARATUS FOR BENDI NG SINUOUS WIRE STRIPS INTO SPRINGS Filed Sept. 1, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 F WI' INVENTOR. JUHN B- LIA/60M! March 24, 1953 J, c, LINCOLN 2,632,482

APRARATUS FOR BENDING SINUOUS WIRE STRIPS INTO SPRINGS Filed Sept. 1, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 w \1 ll if A6 4 l g 68 +5 32: o a? +4 75 M- W" mw o' "HI" I""" 1 f r 7.59 e4 I 27 65 1 6 INVENTOR. 2a m, I 65 2 JOHN DNA/80M! March 24, 1953 J. c. LINCOLN 2,632,482

APPARATUS FOR BENDING SINUOUS WIRE STRIPS INTO SPRINGS Filed Sept. 1, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 gavral ram-fig IN V EN TOR.

.ramv c- UNL'ULN FEE l1 INVENTOR. .ram/ 0- u/vaaw BY 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 March 24, 1953 J. c. LINCOLN APPARATUS FOR BENDING SINUOUS WIRE STRIPS INTO SPRINGS Filed Sept. 1, 1948 Patented Mar. 24, 1953 APPARATUS FOR BENDING SINUOUS WIRE STRIPS INTO SPRINGS John 0. Lincoln, Scottsdale, Ariz., assignor to The Universal Wire Spring Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 1, 1948, Serial No. 47,217

8 Claims. (Cl. 140-71) 'The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing wire springs from corrugated steel wire strips in the form of a continuously corrugated wire having corrugations consistin of oppositely extended loops connected by substantially straight wire portions. Wire springs of this type generally embody substantially straight or slightly curved resting portions, and supporting portions integrallyextended from the resting portions, and are shaped from corrugated wire strips of the type referred to above by twisting localized straight wire portions of the wire strips and forming the wire springs with sharpedged bends or folds all for the purpose of counteracting load stresses in the wire springs by torsional stresses in their twisted straight wire portions.

The general object of the present invention is the provision of a wire spring forming apparatus having twisting means adapted to shape in successive steps sinuously corrugated wire strips to wire springs including a resting portion and supporting portions integrally extended from the resting portion, the twisting means embodying twisting devices arranged to successively twist localized straight wire portions of rigidly held sinously corrugated wire strips to define the resting and supporting portions of thus produced wire springs by sharp-edged bends or folds.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a wire spring forming apparatus having twisting means adapted to shape in successive steps sinuously corrugated wire strips to wire springs including a resting portion and supporting portions integrally extended from the resting portion, the twisting means embodying twisting devices arranged to successively twist localized straight wire portions of rigidly held sinuously corrugated wire strips in one or the other direction to define resting and supporting portions of thus produced wire springs by sharp-edged bends or folds.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a wire spring forming apparatus having fluid-operated twisting means adapted to shape in successive steps sinously corrugated wire strips to wire springs including a resting portion and supporting means integrally extended from the resting portion, the twisting means embodying twisting devices arranged to successively and in timed relation twist in one or the other direction localized straight wire portions of wire stripsheld in localized areas adjacent to the straight wire portions to be twisted, all for the purpose of producing wire springs having resting and supporting portions defined by sharped'ged bends or folds;

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a wire spring forming apparatus of the type referred to above in which some of the twisting devices are arranged to simultaneously twist localized straight wire portions near the end portions of rigidly held sinuously corrugated wire strips and in which other twisting devices are arranged to twist other straight wire portions located in the untwisted central portions of such wire strips to permit successively twisting of the rigidly held wire strips to wire springs with resting and supporting portions defined by sharpedged bends or folds.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a wire spring forming apparatus of the type referred to above, which apparatus includes holding and supporting means for a pair of sinously corrugated wire strips and which includes twisting devices arranged to simultaneously twist two wire strips when held and supported by the wire spring forming apparatus.

Still other important objects of the invention are to provide a wire spring forming apparatus adapted to simultaneously, rapidly, accurately and inexpensively shape a pair of sinuously corrugated wire strips towire springs having rest ing and supporting portions defined by sharpedged bends or folds, the apparatus being of as simple a design and low cost as possible and practical and efiicient for all purposes intended.

Additional objects and novel features of construction, combinations and relations of parts by which the objects in view have been attained, will appear and are set forth in detail in the course of the following specification.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrate certain practical embodiments of the invention, but it will be apparent as the specification proceeds that the structure may be modified and changed in various ways without departure from the true spirit and broad scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wire spring forming apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the wire spring forming apparatus shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is an end view of the left end of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the Wire forming apparatus when forming the outside bends of a wire strip;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view of a fragmentary wire spring formed with outside bends.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the wire 3 forming apparatus after having completed all bends on the wire strip; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side view of the finished wire strip;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional view through one of the wire twisting devices forming part of the wire spring forming machine, the section being taken on line 8--8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view, partly in elevation, through the wire twisting device shown in Fig. 8, the section being taken on line 99 g Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the pressure-fluid controlling valve arrangement and the timing dedevice for said arrangement;

Fig. 11 is a diagram disclosing the electrical and pneumatic hook-up of the different wire twisting devices of the wire forming apparatus;

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the valve members, the section being taken on line |2--I2 of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view through the valve member, the section being taken on line l3-I3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view on line i i-44 of Fig. 4.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, the apparatus for forming sinuously corrugated wire strips into wire springs having a resting portion and supporting members integrally extended from the resting portion embodies a frame structure 2 mounted on upright 3. Frame structure 2 consists of two symmetrically arranged, elongated base plates 2 and l which extend lengthwise of the frame structure in parallel, spaced relation with respect to each other and are secured to each other by cross bars 5 and 5 supporting two elongated plates 6, 6 arranged edgewise on said cross bars in spaced relation to each other between the base plates 4 and 4.

The base plates mount a plurality of pairs of twisting devices, to wit: 1-1, 8-8 and 9-9, each pair of which has one twisting device supported on base plate t and the other twisting device supported on base plate 5. The steel plates 6 and 6' have attached thereto symmetrically arranged, longitudinally spaced pairs of supporting plates iD-lli and H--I I, each pair of which has one plate extended laterally from steel plate 6 and its other plate extended laterally from steel plate 5'. The pairs of supporting plates form parallelly arranged, laterally spaced, supporting members for corrugated wire strips to be twisted to wire springs. The supporting members include locating members l2, I2, to properly locate the wire strips on these supporting members and align the wire strips with the twisting devices. Lateral movement of wire strips supported and located on the supporting members is prevented by spring controlled, pivotally supported angle members l4 and I4 hich are pivoted on pins 15,15 on angle plates l6, 15 attached to base plates 4 and 4 by screws l'l.

Frame structure 2, in addition to the pairs of twisting devices 1-1, 8-8 and 9-9, supports a single twisting device l8 seated on the edgewise mounted steel plates 6 and 6' and symmetrically arranged with respect to the wire strip supporting members (plates ill, IO and II, .II') to permit simultaneous action on wire strips resting on the two supporting members as will be later described. 7

All the twisting devices, with the exception of 4 twisting device I8, are of substantially similar construction; therefore, detailed description of one of the twisting devices will be sufficient for all such devices. 7

These twisting devices each include a frame member I9 which embodies a plate member 20 (see Figs. 8 and 9) secured to the respective base plates 4 or 4' so as to extend beyond the front edge 2| of such plate and a support and guide member 22 suspended from plate member 20 and consisting of two parallelly arranged, L- shaped bars 23 and 24 secured to plate member 20 and coupled with each other by a cross bar 25. The plate member 20 mounts a verticallyarranged, double-cylinder piston unit 26 including a double piston member 29 arranged in two axially-aligned cylinder elements 21 and 28, which have different cylinder bores and are axially adjustably secured to each other. Cylinder element 21, the cylinder with the larger bore, has integrally extended therefrom a sleeve member 36, which is sleeved upon cylinder element 28 and is tightly clamped thereto by a screw member 3! extended through ear portions 32 on the slit end portion 33 of sleeve member 30. The double piston member 29 includes a piston 34 for cylinder element '21, a piston 35 for cylinder element 28 and a ratchet bar 36 connecting the pistons 34 and 35 with each other.

Double cylinder piston unit 26 effects rotation of an axially shiftable twisting shaft 31. Thus the ratchet bar 35 meshes a wide spur gear 38 mounted on twisting shaft member 37, which member is rotatably supported on a slide 39 provided with spring holding means 40 (see Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6). This slide is guided by a slide support 6| attached to frame member I9 and shifted in one direction by a tension spring 42 secured to a stud 43 on the respective base plate 4 or 4' and a hook member 44 on a downwardly extended tripping pin 45 secured to the rear end 46 of the slide 39. This tension spring yieldingly forces the slide 39 and shaft member 31 toward the respective spring supporting member for engagement with a wire strip 41 supported thereby. Each spring holding means 40 includes a horizontally slotted member 48 dimensioned and located to be sleeved upon a loop '49 on the far side of the wire strip 41 by traversing such spring between two adjacent loops 50 on the near side of the spring, and each twisting shaft member 37 carries at its front end a crank arm 5| having slotted means adapted to engage one of the said two adjacent loops 5%] on the near side of the spring when the slide 39 carrying the twisting shaft member 31 is shifted toward the spring.

Double cylinder piston unit 26 furthermore controls the action of a horizontally arranged cylinder piston member 52 (see Figs. 3 and 8) embodying a cylinder 53 attached to the support and guide member 22 between the L-shaped bars 23 and 25 thereof, and a piston 54 mounted in cylinder 53. This piston includes a piston rod 55 which extends from said piston to and through a passage 56 in the cross bar 25 of the support and guide member 22. The piston rod 55 has attached thereto by means of screw members 5'! a tripping member 58 which is yieldingly forced by its spring portion 59 upwardly and engages with the downwardly extended tripping pin 45 on slide 39 when such slide has been shifted toward the respective spring supporting member. This tripping member includes a tripping plate 60 provided with an opening 6! for the tripping pin 65 to permit holding and releasing of slide 39 and positioning of shaft member 3? in twisting operations. A tension spring 62 secured to a hook 93 on cylinder 53 and a pin 69 on piston rod 95 yieldingly forces piston 99 toward the respective spring supporting member whenever the fluid pressure in cylinder 93 is released, an action which permits automatic coupling of slide 39 with piston rod 99 for resetting of the twisting device after each twisting operation as will be later described.

To control the angle of twist to be applied to a straight wire portion of wire strip 41, the length of the stroke of double piston member 29 is made adjustable. This is effected by a threaded bolt 65 (see Fig. 9) threaded into the head 66 of cylinder element ZI and held in adjusted position by a lock nut til. Bolt 95 arrests the upward movement of double piston member 29, the downward movement of which member is arrested by engagement of lower end portion 63 of double piston member 29 with the head 99 of the cylinder element 29.

Actuation of the pairs of twisting devices 'II'|", 8-9 and 99 is effected by fluid under pressure fed into their double-cylinder piston units 26 through two valve controlled fluid pressure lines I9, EI and a third uncontrolled fluid pressure line I2. For such purpose each cylinder element 2? has arranged in its cylinder head 96 a passage I3 which is in open communication with one of the valve controlled pressure lines and ii, that is, the cylinder elements 2'? of the twisting devices l--'I' and 9-9 have their passages I3 in open communication with valve controlled pressure line I9 and the cylinder heads of twisting devices 9--8 have their passage "I3 in open communication with valve controlled pressure line H, and each cylinder element 28 has arranged in its cylinder head 69 a passage 74 which is in open communication with the fluid pressure line I2. In addition the horizontally arranged cylinder 99 of each twisting device communicates through a short pipe line I9 with the cylinder element 23 of such device. For such purpose cylinder 53 includes a bore 16 in its cylinder head, and cylinder element 28, a bore '5'. in the cylindrical side wall I8 of the cylinder element 28, which two bores 79 and TI communicate with each other through pipe line l5. Bore H in side wall l8 is located to effect in the lowest position of double piston member 29 free communication of cylinder 53 with the open atmosphere, such communication taking place from cylinder 53 through bore 76, pipe line '55, bore TE, cylinder element 28 and the large opening 19 (see Figs. 2 and 9) in sleeve member 90, through which opening spur gear 39 extends for engagement with ratchet bar 39.

The twisting devices of each pair of the pairs of twisting devices 1-4, 8--B and 99' oppose each other. Each pair of these twisting devices includes a left-handed and a right-handed twist ing device to attain identical bends in opposed straight portions of wire strips 9? placed on the laterally and longitudinally spaced supporting plates I9, I9 and II, II. In addition, corresponding twisting devices of the pairs of twisting devices 'Il and 89 have for twisting operations the twisting shafts 91 rotated in the same directions, whereas the twisting shafts 3! of the pair of twisting devices 9-'9' in twisting operationsare rotated in a direction opposite to rotation of the corresponding shafts of the pairs of the twisting devices l-I' and 89'.

, The singletwisting device I8 (see-Figs. 1, 2,

3, 4 and 5) which is'directly seated on the edgewise mounted steel plates 6, 6 includes only a double cylinder piston unit constructed substantially similar to the double cylinder piston unit 26 previously described. Unit 89 carries in its two axially aligned cylinder elements BI and 82 a double piston member 83, the ratchet bar 84 of which is arranged to efiect rotation of a large spur gear 85 rigidly mounted on a shaft 86 which is rotatably supported in bearings 81. Shaft 99 carries at its opposite ends crank arm 98 having slotted means 89 arranged to engage a single loop on the far side of springs resting on the wire strip supporting members referred to above.

While the slotted means 48 on the spring holding means 49 of wire twisting devices 8-8 and 9-9 are sized to substantially fit the gage of the wire of the wire strips 41, the slotted means 9I on the spring holding means of wire twisting devices 'I'I' are sized to fit the slotted means 89 on crank arms 88 so as to positively lock spur gear against rotation when the spring holding means 49 of wire twisting devices Ii-I have been hifted with slide 39 toward the springs.

Fluid under pressure is fed into the pipe lines of the spring forming apparatus through a pipe 92 (see Figs. 2, 10 and 11) into a distributing fitting 93 having three outlets 94, 95 and 96 (see Fig. 11) connected with the valve controlled fluid pressure lines I9, 'II and the uncontrolled fluid pressure line I2, respectively. Each of the valve controlled fluid pressure lines I9 and-II include a solenoid operated valve member 97 and 91, respectively, with a valve body 99 mounting an axially shiftable, spring controlled valve 99 (see Figs. 10 and 13). Valve body 98 includes a through bore I99 for the elongated, cylindrically shaped valve 99 which is fully extended through bore I90, and oppositely arranged inlet and outlet passages I92 and I9I extended. from bore I99. The valve 99 which is provided with a circumferential recess I93 controls the inlet and outlet passages I92 and IN so that in one position of said valve the passages I92 and I9I are shut off from each other and in another position communicate with each other through the circumferential recess I99 in said valve. In addition, valve 99 includes a channel I94 in the peripheral wall of said valve which channel is arranged parallel to the axis of the valve and effects communication of the outlet passage Ifll of valve body 99 with the open atmosphere only when valve 99 shuts off communication of inlet passage I92 with outlet passage NH.

The thus constructed valve members 91 and 9'! are yieldingly held into position to shut oil? communication between their intake and outlet passages by compression springs I95i95, respectively, in which position the outlet passage communicates through channel I94 with the open atmosphere-and for communication between such inlet and outlet passages are shifted by an electromagnet I96, the armature I97 of which is attached to the outwardly exposed end portion I99 of elongated valve 99. There are two electromagnets I96 and I96 for fluid pressure lines i9 and II, respectively, which electromagnets are controlled by a timer arrangement I09 rotated by a motor I I9. This timer arrangement includes a rotary switch drum HI which is rotated by the motor over a worm drive H2 and provided with contact segments II3 cooperating with spaced, stationary contact members 4, H5 and H6 in timing the energizing of the coils H1, III of electromagnets I96 and I06 for timed shifting of valve members 91 and 91 by said electromagnets. The switch drum I I I is mounted on a shaft I I8 journaled in bearings I I9, which shaft also mounts the worm gear I20 of the worm drive and includes at its end portion I2I a lever I22 actuating a trip switch I23 adapted to automatically stop rotation of motor I I by interrupting the current after each complete revolution of the switch drum III.

In the operation of the wire spring forming apparatus, two sinuously shaped wire strips 41 are placed in proper position on the supporting members (supporting plates I9--I0 and II-I I) and then slides 39 of wire twisting devices 1-1, 8-8 and 9-9 are released by manual actuation of tripping members 59. This action effects shifting of the slides toward the wire strips 41 by the springs 42 causing engagement of the spring holding means 40 and their slotted means 48 and 9| with the wire strips and with the slotted means 89 on crank arms 88, respectively, and engagement of the slotted means of crank arms 5I with the wire strips. When thus readied for wire twisting operations, the wire spring forming apparatus is started by tripping trip switch I23 which controls the circuit for the motor H6, efi'ecting rotation of switch drum III. A rotation of this switch drum effects successively energizing and de-energizing of the coils I I1 and III of electromagnets I 06 and I96 and thus successive shifting of valve members 91 and 91. When the valve member 97 is actuated by electromagnet I95, valve member 91' is in inoperative position and, when the valve member 91' is actuated by electromagnet I96, valve member 9'! is in inoperative position.

The actuation of valve member 9! permits fluid under pressure to enter the fluid pressure line I9 so as to pass through passages I3 in cylinder heads 66 into the cylinder elements 21 of the pairs of twisting devices i-l' and 99. This pressure fluid shifts the double piston members 29- of these devices downwardly to effect rotation of their twisting shafts 31 and therewith twisting of the wire strips by ratchet bars 36 meshing the spur gears 38 to produce the bends illustrated in Fig. 5. Downward shifting of double piston members 29 is opposed by fluid under pressure passing from uncontrolled fluid pressure line 12 into cylinder elements 28 and tending to shift the double piston members 29 in an upward direction; however, this counterforce is overcome by the differential bores of cylinder elements 21 and 28, cylinder members 21 having bores substantially larger than the bores of cylinder elements 28. At the end of the downward stroke of the double piston members 29' their pistons 35 have passed the bores I! in the side walls 19 of the cylinder elements 28 so that cylinders 53 can communicate through pipe lines with the open atmosphere and that tension springs 62 can shift the piston 54 and therewith the tripping members 58 on piston rods 55 backwards (towards the left in Fig. 8) into tripping engagement with pins 45 on slides 39. De-energizing of the electromagnet I06 permits automatic resetting of valve member 9! by spring I95 to effect communication of cylinder 2'! with the open atmosphere through "the channel I94 of the valve member and upward shifting of the double piston members 29 back to their initial position by fluid under pressure in fluid pressure line 12 communicating with the cylinder elements 28. In this upward movement of the double piston members 29 when their pistons have passed the bores 11 in 8. the side walls of the cylinder elements 28, communication is effected between the latter cylinder elements and cylinders 53 of cylinder-piston members 52 so that fluid under pressure from fluid pressure line I2 is fed through pipe lines into cylinders 53. This fluid, which enters cylinders 53 when the twisting tension on a spring to be twisted is substantially released, shifts the pistons 54 and the slides 39 coupled with piston rods 55 of said pistons by the tripping member 58, outwardly into starting positions to disengage the spring holding means and crank arms of the pairs of wire twisting devices 1-1 and 99 The actuation of valve member 91 permits fluid under pressure to enter fluid pressure line H so as to pass through passages I3 into the cylinder elements 2'! of the pair of twisting devices 8-8 and the single twisting device I8. This pressure fluid shifts the double piston members 29 and 83 of these devices downwardly to effect rotation of their twisting shafts 31 an 86 and therewith twisting of the Wire strips by ratchet bars 36 meshing the spur gears 38 and ratchet bar 84 meshing the large spur gear 85 thereby producing the finished spring illustrated in Fig. 7. Downward shifting of the double iston members 29 and 83 is opposed by fluid under pressure passing from uncontrolled fluid pressure line 12 into cylinder elements 28 and BI and tending to shift the double piston members 29 and 83 in an upward direction; however, this counterforce is overcome by the differential bores of cylinder elements 2?-28 and 8I82, cylinder members 21 and SI having bores substantially larger than the bores of cylinder elements 28 and 82. At the end of the downward stroke of the double piston mem bers 29, their pistons 35 have passed the bores 71 in the side walls of the cylinder elements 28 so that cylinders 53 can communicate through pipe lines 15 with the open atmosphere and that tension springs 52 can shift the pistons 54 and therewith the tripping members 58 on piston rods 55 backward into tripping engagement with slides 39. De-energizing of the electromagnet I96 permits automatic resetting of valve member 91' by spring I85 to efiect communication of cylinders 21 and 8| with the open atmosphere and upward shifting of the double piston members 29 and 83 back to their initial position by fluid under pressure in fluid pressure line 12 communicating with th cylinder elements 29 and 82. In this upward movement of the double piston members 29-, when their pistons 35 have passed the bores 11 in the side walls of the cylinder elements 28, communication is effected between the latter cylinder elements and cylinders 53 of cylinder piston members 52 so that fluid under pressure from fluid pressure line I2 is fed through pipe lines 75 into cylinders 53. This fluid, which enters cylinders 53 when the twisting tension on a spring to be twisted is substantially released, shifts the pistons 56 and the slides 39, which are coupled with the piston rods 55 by tripping member 58, outwardly into starting positions to disengage the spring holding means and crank arms of the pair of wire twisting devices 8-8.

Shortly before the end of each complete revolution of switch drum III, lever I22 at the end por tion I2I of shaft II8 actuates trip switch I23 which controls the motor circuit and when thus actuated automatically opens such circuit after each cycle, a cycle being defined by a complete revolution of switch drum II I. When the wire strips are formed to Wire springs with localized twists in straight wire portions of the springs,

such springs are removed and other wire strips are placed in the apparatus for twisting these strips inthe manner described above.

Having thus described myfinvention, what I claimis'z.

1. In a machine for forming wire springs from sinuously corrugated wire strips, a plurality of wire twisting devices, each including a frame, a slide on said frame, spring means for shifting said slide in one direction, shifting means for shifting said slide in the-opposite direction including releasable coupling means with said slide, and shifting means for rotating said wire twisting shaft in opposite directions, said shifting means for said slide being associated with said shifting means for said wire twisting shaft to effect timed shifting of said slide in predetermined positions of the shifting means for said who twisting shaft.

2. In a machine for forming wire springs from sinuously corrugated wire strips, a plurality of wire twisting devices, each including a frame, a slide mounted on said frame, a spring member for shifting said slide in one direction, a fluid operated cylinder-piston member including a piston releasably coupled with said slide and adapted to shift same in the opposite direction, a second spring member yieldingly counteracting shifting of the piston of said cylinder-piston member by fluid under pressure, a second fluidoperated cylinder-piston member including a piston coupled with said wire twisting shaft for rotating same in opposite directions, and a controlled fluid pass-age connecting the cylinders of said two cylinder-piston members, said passage being controlled by the piston of said second cylinder-piston member to effect fluid pressure of said first cylinder-piston member only at predetermined positions of the piston of said second cylinder-piston member.

3. A machine for forming wire springs from sinuously corrugated wire strips, as described in claim 2, wherein the piston of the first cylinderpiston member and the said slide include cooperating coupling members for automatically and releasably coupling said piston and slide when same are in predetermined position.

4. in a machine for forming wire springs from sinuously corrugated wire strips, a plurality of fluid operated Wire twisting devices, each including an axially shiftable and rotatable wire twisting shaft, a cylinder-piston member coupled with said shaft for rotating same, a second cylinderpiston member releasably coupled with said shaft for axially shifting same, and a valve controlled fluid passage connecting the cylinders of said two cylinder-piston members, said fluid passage being controlled by the piston of said first cylinderpiston member to effect shifting of the piston of said second cylinder-piston member in a predetermined position of the piston of said first cylinder piston member.

5. In a machine for forming wire springs from sinuously corrugated wire strips, parallelly arranged supporting members adapted to support two sinuously corrugated wire strips in parallelly aligned relation with respect to each other, a

plurality of spaced wire twisting devices arranged at right angles to said supporting members adjacent to the outer sides thereof, each of said wire twisting devices adapted to effect a single torsional twist in a wire strip mounted on the supporting means adjacent to such twisting device, and a wire twisting device arranged be- 10 tween said two 'supporting'mean's, having an axially rotatable twisting shaftadaptedto engage simultaneously two corrugated wire strips when supported on said supporting means" and effect by a single operation localized torsional twisting in both said wire strips.

'6. In a machine for forming wire springs from sinuously corrugated wire strips, parallelly arranged supporting members adapted to support two' sinuouslyoorrugated wire strips in parallel relation with respect to each other, aplurality of pairs of spaced wire twisting devices arranged at right angles to said supporting members adjacent to the outer sides thereof, and a single wire twisting device arranged between said supporting means having a rotatable twisting shaft extended at right angles to said supporting members, said twisting shaft including wire strip engaging means at its opposite ends for effecting simultaneous torsional twisting of localized areas of two wire strip-s supported on said wire strip supporting members.

7. In a machine for forming wire springs having angularlyf related contiguous areas from straight sinuously corrugated wire strips, a base, members on said base for supporting one of said strip-s along the length of said strip, said supporting members being spaced intermediate the ends of said strip, means attached to one of said members for locating said strips on said supporting members, a plurality of laterally spaced wire twisting devices mounted on said base adjacent the space between said supporting members and extending toward said strip, said wire twisting devices each including a shiftable frame arranged to be shifted in a plane parallel to said supporting members and toward said strip for engaging said twisting devices with portions of said strip, slotted wire holding members mounted on said frame for engaging said strip adjacent to the portions engaged by said twisting devices, and means for successively shifting said frame and actuating said twisting devices.

8. 'In a machine for forming wire springs having angularly related contiguous areas from sinuously corrugated wire strips, a base, members on said base for supporting one of said strips along the length of said strip, said supporting members being spaced intermediate the ends of said strip, means on one of said members for locating said strips on said supporting members, a plurality of laterally spaced wire twisting devices mounted on said base adjacent the space between said supporting members and extending toward said strip, said wire twisting devices each including a shiftable, slotted'wire holding member and a shiftable, rotatable wire twisting member said wire holding members arranged to be shifted toward said strip in a plane parallel :to said supporting members for engaging with portions of said strip, and said wire twisting members arranged to be shifted toward said strip in said shifting plane of the wire holding members for engaging said strip adjacent to the portions engaged by said wire holding members and ran individual actuating means for each one of said wire twisting devices, each actuating means effecting in the wire twisting device controlled thereby shifting of the wire holding member and the wire twisting member and thereafter rotation of the wire twisting member.

JOHN C. LINCOLN.

(References on following page) 11 REFERENCES cman Number The following references are of record in the 2,1285% file of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS V 5 2,379,425 Number Name Date 2,389,055 1,250,252 WadSWwth "1.----- Dec. 18, 1917 2,450,876 1,507,007 Sleeper Sept. 2, 1924 1,822,690 Deleeuw Sept. 8, 1951 1,823,426 Ferris .1. Sept. 15, 1931 10 Number 2,050,619 Malott \Aug. 11,1936 226,328

Name Date Lyons Aug. 30, 1938 Hart 1.. Feb. 4, 1941 Catlin Sept. 29, 1942 Duplessis July 3, 1945 Horton Nov. 13, 1945 Blumensaaadt Oct. '12, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Sept. 29, 1910 

